TAM 251: Introductory Solid Mechanics

 

Below are the course policies for this class.  Please read through them and familiarize yourself with the policies regarding course logistics.  Details specific to course content can be found on the Info page.

Absences
Academic integrity, harassment, and discrimination
Contact and obtaining help
Gradebook
Discussion
Lectures
Special accomodations

 

Absences:

  1. Excuses from assessments will only be given in the following circumstances:
    1. Illness.
    2. Personal crisis (e.g., car accident, required court appearance, death of a close relative).
    3. Required attendance at an official UIUC activity (e.g., varsity athletics, band concert).
  2. In all cases you must complete the Excused Absence Request Form and upload a scan of the official written documentation explaining your absence.
  3. In cases (a) or (b) an official excuse letter from the Dean on Duty must be submitted via the online form within 2 weeks of the due date of the missed assessment, but no later than reading day. In cases of extended or unusual illness, late submission of excuse documentation will be considered.
  4. In case (c) an official letter from the designated university official must be submitted via the online form at least one week prior to the due date of the missed assessment.
  5. Notwithstanding the above, at your professor's discretion you may be required to make up any excused work or attend substitute instruction or assessment.

 

Academic integrity, harassment, and discrimination: Academic integrity infractions, harassment, and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. See Article 1, Part 4 of the Student Code and the Campus Conduct Policy. Please report any concerns immediately to your professor.

 

Contact and obtaining help: The two main ways to obtain help are online at Piazza, or in person at the Grainger office hours. You can also speak with your professor briefly after lecture. Please do not send email directly to CAs, TAs or professors for routine help or absences.

 

CARE: The Center for Academic Resources in Engineering (CARE) provides extra help and tutoring for all TAM 2XX courses. Information is available at the CARE website and in person at the CARE offices in Grainger library.

 

Discussion sections: Prompt and regular attendance at your discussion section is required. You must attend only the discussion section in which you are enrolled. You will not receive a grade for the worksheet if you attend the wrong discussion section.

Most discussion sessions will consist of a group worksheet exercise, which is a high-energy and efficient 50-minute learning experience. Students will be placed in a group of three to four people during the first week of classes. The groups will remain the same until the end of the semester. If you are more than 5 minutes late to a discussion session then you will not be permitted to complete the worksheet. There are two main goals for the discussion worksheets:

  1. Gain experience in team-work. This is a critical skill in all areas of engineering, from large-scale industrial projects to academic research. Working productively in teams is a skill that must be learned just like math or physics, and regular practice is essential. Often you will have to work with people who you do not especially like, or who you find it difficult to work with. It is important to lean how to manage these situations so that the important work is still accomplished.
  2. Apply engineering concepts to real-world problems. Each worksheet focuses on a real-world problem that you will have to use your engineering skills to solve. This will include using the material from class, but also knowledge from previous engineering, math, and science classes. You will also have to think like an engineer, and understand when to make approximations, how to judge the appropriateness of different models, and which mathematics and physics is most useful for a given engineering problem.

We also hope that these discussion worksheets will help you to meet other engineering students and we encourage you to get together outside of lectures and discussions to work collaboratively on homeworks and exam study.

All members of the group should be working together as a team. The TAs and CAs will be evaluating team work, problem-solution skills and interpretation of the problem. Every student in the group will receive the same score for the activity.

 

Gradebook: All assessment scores are stored on Compass2g. Note that we are only using this website for grade reporting. All other class-related information will be posted only to the official class website or Piazza. Any errors in grade reporting appearing on Compass2g must be reported to "Instructors" via Piazza within 2 weeks of the due date of the assessment item or by the last day of class, whichever is earlier.

 

Lectures: Prompt and regular attendance at lectures is essential for your comprehension and success in the course.

 

Special accommodations: To obtain disability-related academic adjustments or accommodations, students with disabilities must contact their professor and Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) as soon as possible. Students who require special accommodations for exams should schedule to take their exam at DRES, and DRES staff will communicate with the professor to organize the exam. There is no need to inform the professor about this in advance.